This invention relates generally to a squaring tool such as a carpenter""s square as used by carpenters and other skilled tradesmen to mark and/or square-up adjacent workpieces. More particularly, this invention relates to a modified squaring tool having two inside corners and a total of three 90xc2x0 degree square corners which are squared with each other, thus permitting the edges of the modified squaring tool to be positioned to extend around obstructions and irregular surfaces, thereby making the modified squaring tool particularly useful for a large number of applications and uses where a conventional carpenter""s square cannot be used.
A carpenter""s square is a well known marking and squaring tool useful in many trades in addition to carpentry, and in its most common form merely comprises a generally xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d shaped flat piece of metal or other rigid material, with a pair of flat ruler-like extensions or legs lying in a common plane and intersecting at a perfect 90xc2x0 right angle. Usually the legs or extensions are not of equal length and are normally marked to provide a length scale of some sort, such as inches or centimeters, while the flat faces of the legs are capable of lying flat on a work-piece surface so that one leg edge can be used for indicating and marking a straight line perpendicular to the intersecting leg or leg edge.
Accordingly, the two outer leg edges, as well as the two inner leg edges, of the square intersect to form perfect intersecting right angles. Thus when one leg edge of a carpenter""s square is positioned flush against a workpiece surface, the other leg will always extend perpendicularly from such surface which can be used to mark and measure a perpendicular length from that surface.
In addition to the above general description, it is noted that in the carpenter""s trade the leg normally used for horizontal positioning is often slightly wider and is commonly referred to as the xe2x80x9cbladexe2x80x9d, while the leg extending from the xe2x80x9cbladexe2x80x9d, normally being a bit narrower and bit shorter, is commonly referred to as the xe2x80x9ctonguexe2x80x9d. Carpenter""s squares are commercially available in three conventional sizes, namely, large, intermediate and small, wherein the blade lengths are 24, 16 and 12 inches respectively, and the tongue lengths are 16, 12 and 8 inches respectively.
While such conventional prior art carpenter""s squares are extremely useful and have been successfully utilized by carpenters and other tradesmen for many years, there are some applications to which they do not readily lend themselves, particularly applications involving flange-like extensions adjacent a flat surface.
For example with regard to a common table comprising a flat horizontal upper surface or table top supported on legs or other vertically oriented supporting member or members, it is not possible to utilize a conventional carpenter""s square to perpendicularly align the upper table top surface with the legs or other vertical support members. In such a situation, it is, of course, possible to utilize a conventional carpenter""s square to perpendicularly align the supports or legs with the underside surface of the table top, but this in not particularly helpful if the underside surface is not parallel to the upper surface.
For example, such a situation does in fact present itself when working with steel I-beams where it is well known that the under-surfaces of the two I-beam flange are not parallel to the outer flat surfaces of those same flanges. That is to say, it is well known that the cross-section of an I-beam is that of a capital letter xe2x80x9cIxe2x80x9d where the flanges are perfectly flat, but the undersurface thereof are slightly angled towards the web which spaces the two flanges, and are further characterized by a smooth curved surface blending into the side surfaces of the web.
Indeed, other situations present themselves wherein a conventional carpenter""s square fails to provide a suitable solution, such as squaring a horizontal surface with a vertical surface where obstructions are attached to one or the other of the intersecting surfaces.
This invention is predicated on my conception and development of a new and modified squaring tool which in essence comprises two squares-in-one which permits a first square to extend around a protruding or interfering flange or other obstruction, and provides three perfect 90xc2x0 right angles squared with each other to greatly expand the applications for which the squaring tool can be used. In essence, the inventive modified squaring tool of this invention is formed of a flat piece of rigid material, such as steel, and comprises an outer primary L-shaped square formed by a pair of ruler-like legs lying in a common plane and intersecting at a perfect 90xc2x0 right angle, substantially like a conventional carpenter""s square. Pursuant to this invention, however, there is an inner or secondary L-shaped square extending from an inside edge of the primary L-shaped square which is also formed by a pair of ruler-like legs lying in a common plane and also intersecting at a perfect 90xc2x0 right angle, substantially like the primary L-shaped square, with all four ruler-like legs lying in one common flat plane to in essence provide a pair of parallel horizontal legs and a pair of parallel vertical legs.
Stated in another way, the tool of this invention comprises a more or less conventional carpenter""s square having a primary horizontal blade with a primary vertical tongue extending perpendicularly from one end of the horizontal blade as in the case of a conventional carpenter""s square, but pursuant to this invention, the form also including a secondary square disposed intermediate the primary blade and primary tongue, wherein such secondary square includes a secondary blade extending from an inside edge of the primary vertical tongue, with a secondary tongue extending perpendicularly from the secondary blade at the distal end opposite the primary tongue, to thereby provide an overall configuration somewhat resembling that of a xe2x80x9cquestion markxe2x80x9d. In essence, the secondary tongue provides a tongue which is perpendicular to both the primary and secondary blades, but is spaced away from the primary blade by the distance separating the parallel primary and secondary blades. In use this spaced relationship can be utilized to align the unique modified squaring tool to extend around flanges or other obstruction to maintain the square relationship between the primary blade and the secondary tongue, so that even though the secondary tongue is spaced from the primary blade, it nevertheless remains perpendicular thereto.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and modified squaring tool for use in a variety of applications where a conventional carpenter""s square cannot be utilized.
Another primary object of this invention is to provide a new and modified squaring tool having a pair of horizontal blades and a pair of vertical tongues perpendicular to the horizontal blades, and adapted to extend around flanges and other obstructions to maintain the perpendicular relationship of the horizontal blades to the vertical tongues.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and unique squaring tool which provides a space between two parallel blades which permit a tongue portion to extend around obstructions while that tongue portion remains perpendicular to the two parallel blades.
These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent after a full reading of the following detailed description, particularly when read in conjunction with the attached drawings described below.